The Union Minister for Information & Broadcasting, Youth Affairs and Sports, Shri Anurag Thakur presented the first copy of the book titled ‘Reflecting, Recollecting, Reconnecting’ to the Vice President, Shri M. Venkaiah Naidu at Upa-Rashtrapati Nivas today.
The book, brought out by the Publications Division of the Information and Broadcasting Ministry, chronicles the Vice President’s fourth year in office.
Receiving the book, the Vice President said the book was a kind of report card to the people. He said it was the duty of those holding public offices and elected representatives to present a report card to the people every year on the responsibilities and duties assigned to them. “It is your duty to communicate to the people you are serving as to what you have done”, he added.
Shri Naidu complimented the Publications Division for bringing out the book in a short time despite the pandemic.
The Union Minister, Shri Anurag Thakur said the book reflects the vision and ideas of the Vice President. He said the new media has become an important platform and that the Vice President has been effectively communicating to the people through twitter and other social media channels.
The 183-page book captures the salient aspects of the Vice President’s activities during the 4th year in pictures, vignettes and words in five chapters. During the year, the Vice President attended 133 events across 10 States and two Union Territories. He had delivered 53 lectures, released 23 books and presided over 22 inaugural events.
The first chapter focuses on the Vice President’s reflections on the unprecedented health crisis caused by COVID-19. This section illustrates how the Vice President, over the last year, continued to communicate with the people of the country through his articles in newspapers, short essays on Facebook and brief comments as well as pertinent messages on various social media platforms, reflecting his response to the pandemic and his concern for the well-being of the country’s vast population.
The second chapter focuses on the Vice President’s recollection of the past tales of resistance and resilience to rekindle the same spirit in the nation today in the wake of one of the most formidable health challenges in over a century. He had also shared his insights on India’s iconic leaders and their leadership during challenging times.
The book also showcases the Vice President’s love for our cultural heritage and rich linguistic diversity. For him, Indian languages are “more than a means of communication” and he has passionately advocated that “we must encourage the creative expression of our thoughts and ideas in our own languages.” The Vice President had written articles in 24 vernacular newspapers on the occasion of International Mother Language Day, and again in August, 2021, he penned articles in 38 vernacular newspapers in 25 Indian languages highlighting the need for professional courses in mother tongue.
The Vice President has been a firm believer in the country’s ability to weather difficult storms and emerge stronger after each battle. As the country battles severe COVID-19 pandemic, he called for reconnecting our innate strengths which include agriculture, education, science and technology for a brighter tomorrow. Third chapter of the book relates to this theme. The book also mentions about his visits to numerous educational and scientific institutions across the country and his interactions with educators and scientists.
The chapter titled ‘Strengthening parliamentary democracy’ highlights the special arrangements made for smooth functioning of the Parliament during the pandemic. It also lists the innovative ways adopted to find a rather difficult balance between ensuring human safety and retaining the sanctity of Parliamentary democracy. The book mentions that 44 bills were passed during 2020-21, the highest in the last four years.
The last chapter provides glimpses of the steady march of the nation under the shadow of COVID-19 pandemic. It touches upon how institutions adopted themselves to the new normal.
Secretary to the Vice President, Dr. I.V. Subba Rao, Secretary, Information and Broadcasting, Shri Apurva Chandra, Additional Secretary & CVO, Ms. Neerja Sekhar, Joint Secretary , Shri Vikram Sahay, DG, Publications Division, Ms Monideepa Mukerjee and other senior officials attended the event.